Gone
by Crowfeather's girl
Summary: They say there's a reason for everything. Everybodies death, every little thing that goes wrong in your day. Was there a reason for that walker to come up behind Carol and bite her? Was there a reason for Carol to go after Dale after he stormed out of the house? Was there a reason at all for anything anymore?


_**A/N: Warning, this is really sad. **_

They say there's a reason for everything. Everybodies death, every little thing that goes wrong in your day. Was there a reason for that walker to come up behind Carol and bite her? Was there a reason for Carol to go after Dale after he stormed out of the house? Was there a reason at all for anything anymore?

Daryl didn't know the answer to any of these questions. He was to busy staring in shock at the mound of dirt that now covered Carol's body. Her grave was next to Sophia's so she could always be with her daughter. Everybody was silent as Rick spoke, silent tears streaming down their faces. Lori held Carl as he cried for Carol. She had taken care of him most times when Lori didn't.

Daryl's eyes flickered to Dale, who was holding his hat in his hand, head bowed as he looked at the grave. Bastard was lucky to be alive. If it weren't for Carol, he would be the one we were burying, not Carol. Her scream of pain still rung in his ears when he was alone. The memory was still fresh in his mind and his gaze wandered to where she died. She died in the middle of the field where Dale had been after he stormed away.

She wanted to calm him down and Daryl had gone to take Randall back to where he was being chained up. Daryl was just getting done handcuffing Randall again when he heard her scream, then Dale's followed by gunshot. Daryl jumped, grabbing the lantern and bolting out of the small shed he was in, trying to find the two. Heart pumping with adrenaline, his eyes spotting two shadowy figures in the distance.

The others were screaming, looking for them as they fled the house, trying to find the source of the screams, shouting Carol and Dale's name over and over.  
"Found 'em Rick!" Daryl shouted, nearing the two quickly, almost dropping the lantern he was carrying. What he found knocked the air from his lungs. Carol lay on the ground, Dale clutching her as scarlet blood pulsated from a bite wound.

She was dying. There would be no way to save her. She sobbed with pain, clutching her wound as a fresh wave of blood flowed over her hands. Her eyes locked with Daryl's and he could see she was in pain and she was scared. Scared of turning into a monster. Scared of dying. She didn't want to leave him. Sudden realization swamped Daryl just then. They were going to have to kill her.

He never apologized to her after exploding on her. He never told her how much she ment to him. She would never know he was sorry. Sobs were heard from everybody in the group as they gathered around and Carol whimpered in pain, her breaths coming in gasps now as she struggled to breathe.  
"NO!" Rick shouted, pacing back and forth with devastation. Sweet Carol, sweet Carol who had washed his clothes the first time he had been camp, sweet Carol who had lost her daughter, was going to die.

Andrea clutched one of her bloodstained hands, the tears dripping down her face. Carl had fallen back now, looking rather guilty, tears streaming down his face also as he thought of what was going to happen next.  
"She's in pain, please do something!" Andrea sobbed frantically, watching as Carol writhed in pain. Daryl made to take his gun out, but Rick stopped him, taking out his own gun. Daryl stood back as Rick aimed it at her, despite the cries from his wife and Andrea.

One shot and she was gone. Dead to the world. Her wound had still been pulsing blood when Daryl picked her up to carry her back. Her body was limp in his arms as her carried her back and he didn't dare look at her face as they trudged back through the field, sobs echoing throughout the night. Sometimes, Daryl listens to the wind and he can hear her scream of pain in it, as if she were still there, bleeding out into the grass.

The ceremony was coming to an end and the others began to disperse, wiping their eyes as they went. All except Daryl, who stood staring at her grave. There was a piece of wood at the base of her grave marking the date of her death and her name. Sophia's grave was next to hers. Mother and daughter, together at last. Daryl couldn't help but feel as if he had failed them both. Failed Sophia by not finding her in time and failed to protect Carol from the walker.

Daryl wiped his eyes quickly. He wasn't a crier, but that didn't stop the tears that were burning in his eyes. Daryl wasn't ready to pour his soul into the mound of dirt as he had watched Carol do to her daughters grave. He had watched her many times from afar as Carol got on her knees at Sophia's grave. She went many times, sometimes it was to talk or sometimes she would sit and stare at the grave until she began to sob, her words obviously stated in a prayer.

Brushing away another tear, Daryl reached carefully into his pocket and pulled out a Cheeroke Rose, laying it on her grave.

"I'm sorry." he murmured.

_**A/N: Ok, I made myself cry here. Well then, maybe I should go write something happy or something...Hope I didn't upset you guys to much :( cause I sobbing my way through this.**_


End file.
